Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral illness transmitted most often by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in very limited tropical regions of Mexico. Practically speaking, unless you are planning to travel for an extended period of time in a high-risk, forested region of Mexico, risk is minor. We do not recommend routine vaccination.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of the disease are typical of other two-phased hemorrhagic viral infections, such as dengue fever, making the diagnosis somewhat difficult. The first phase follows a short incubation period of three to six days and includes headache, fever, nausea and/or vomiting, muscle aches, a slow heart rate, and chills. Fever often subsides after a few days, after which a small percentage of people progress to the second stage. This is characterized by fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, a yellowing of the skin, and bleeding problems, such as nose bleeds and intestinal bleeding. Of the people who develop second-stage symptoms, half will die within about two weeks. For more in-depth information on yellow fever, visit the World Health Organization.

Treatment and Prevention:

There is no treatment for yellow fever, although general intensive medical care may improve the outcome. Prevent exposure by getting vaccinated prior to travel to high-risk areas and through the use of DEET-containing mosquito repellents (see Preventing Insect Bites).